Of Nie’s Pharmacy & Wellness Center in Independence, Kentucky
Years in Compounding: 20
Path to Compounding:
I always found compounding interesting. As a young pharmacist, working in the hospital world and later for chain pharmacy, I was always intrigued by the uniqueness of it. I was not fulfilled by hospital or chain pharmacy, though. In the chain world, I was a supervisor of 25 stores. I felt unfulfilled in that position and left to gain experience in independent pharmacy.
I knew others who were compounding and found it intriguing and thought it was a great opportunity for an independent. When the opportunity to rejoin my father in the family business came up, I jumped on it. After a couple of years of attempting to convince my partner-father that we needed to invest in this rebirth called pharmacy compounding, he capitulated. We joined PCCA and began our journey.
I love the diversity of custom medications we can provide and their associated challenges, as well as the gratitude of the patients, their caregivers and prescribers. Solving their unique problems is the most fulfilling thing about what I do.
Favorite Formula:
I cannot say I have a favorite PCCA formula. I am always in awe of the different dosage forms and combos in the PCCA formula database. And those wise guys in the Pharmacy Consulting Department, they have a great deal of experience you can use.
PCCA members have access to over 9,500 proprietary formulas, including over 135 FormulaPlus™ formulations with extended beyond-use dates backed by stability-indicating methods.
Success Story:
I remember a few years ago, a woman called to set up a consultation with me upon her physician’s suggestion. She suffered from adrenal and hormone issues as well as fibromyalgia. I discussed her situation with her and the prescriber, and I suggested some options, which the doctor agreed with.
After about eight months, we got some flowers delivered to the pharmacy from her husband. The note attached said, simply, “Thanks for giving me my wife back.” The day she came in for a follow-up consultation (a little over one year later), this 58-year-old woman literally did back flips down our first-aid aisle.
Advice for New Compounders:
Attend as many events as you can and network with a diverse group of your colleagues. You can learn a little from each. Early on, we joined Bill Letendre’s Compounding Pharmacy Management Services group and more recently a PCCA Concierge Compounding group. I would encourage you to plug in to these resources.
The views and therapies expressed in the above article are those of the interviewee and may not be endorsed by PCCA. The statements are provided for educational purposes only. They have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not to be interpreted as a promise, guarantee or claim of therapeutic efficacy or safety. The information contained herein is not intended to replace or substitute for conventional medical care, or encourage its abandonment. Every patient is unique, and formulas should be adjusted to meet their individual needs.
Nie’s Pharmacy & Wellness Center is owned by Jack Nie, RPh.